Taj Had Told Kafashian to Look Out for Tractor in Refereeing / Khatibi Said Federation Votes Were Bought for 200 Million / Some Referees Help the Federation on a 'Rainy Day'

Retired football referee Yasser Hamrang, one of the Football Federation's most serious critics, spoke about some violations and corruption in Iranian football, and believes the federation keeps some referees 'for a rainy day' so they can help it when needed.

According to sports journalist Safir Arjan, Iran's football adventures are full of strange events. From various technical issues and player transfers to issues such as infrastructure and stadiums, grass, etc., each of which has its own stories. However, it is probably one of the strangest incidents surrounding refereeing issues that sometimes raises the stakes.

Yaser Hamrang, a retired football referee who has become one of the outspoken critics of Iran's football structure in the last two years and after giving up refereeing, was a guest of Arjan's ambassador and the conversation with this referee was related to the events surrounding refereeing, football management as well as corruption or suspicions related to corruption in football.

You can see the full video of this conversation below:

Also, the text of this interview is presented in three parts, which you can read in the continuation of the first part:

Ambassador Arjan: In my opinion, the refereeing of football in our country has become stagnant in recent years. You who were part of the arbitration body and were in this cycle, what do you know the reason for this situation?

We are not on the right track. When you are not on the right path, you will not reach your destination. More importantly, those who judge us on this path do not admit that our path is wrong. If you remember, I gave an interview about VAR last year in the same Ambassador Arjan, and by the way, the Football Federation also sued us. Wouldn't it be better if they were addressed last year when we raised VAR issues? Couldn't a better path have been chosen? Did they reinforce the cameras? Did they make more efforts in the field of training judges? Couldn't things get better? In my opinion, handling these problems was better than complaining.

As long as a set does not accept that its path is wrong, it will not naturally change its path. For this reason, the football federation does not accept almost anything. Even now, when you see the results of the national team, they deliver wins and losses; That means failure has no meaning in their minds. This issue makes us stop or even go back. Now, if you look at the FIFA ranking, you will realize that our team has gone further; Because we do not accept our mistakes.

Ambassador Arjan: Do you know the reason for not accepting mistakes, not learning from failures and similar issues?

Ambassador Arjan: Now, in the matter of VAR, I think something special happened this year. If I am not mistaken, we saw in the news sporadically that Mr. Khodahandelo also mentioned this issue; It seems that they did not pay the cost of VAR and did not pay its annual subscription, and for this reason, the offside line of the device does not work. Can you elaborate on this?

We bought six EVS machines, two of which we sold to Sepahan and Golghar. Four other devices were at the disposal of the federation. They signed a contract with a Chinese company from which a device was imported. If you remember, in Tabriz, two Chinese people were sitting on the side of the field and were present during the tractor game. Their salaries should be paid in dollars. Finally, the situation became such that they said they don't want them anymore and we won't buy a Chinese device either; Because working with EVS is easier. So, they continued working with EVS.

The Ministry of Sports was supposed to pay the cost of the same Chinese device, and they even signed a contract with a Chinese company to buy that device. I don't know how much fine they paid in the end when that contract was canceled; I do not know the details. Finally, we have one Chinese machine and six EVS VAR machines. EVS devices are updated after every two years to bring their line-up and features up to date again. Now that two-year period is over and we no longer have those features.

Ambassador Arjan: Does the Chinese machine still work?

The Chinese machine draws a line. Now in the line-ups that are done, they apparently use a Chinese device to assist the EVS.

Ambassador Arjan: There is one point. I think according to the FIFA protocol - of course, if you have checked the protocols, please explain - in a tournament, league or country, one device model should be used. is it true

We do not follow almost any of the VAR protocols in Iran; Because there have been many incidents and disputes in the field of VAR, which are against the protocol. FIFA doesn't dig deep enough in domestic competitions to notice all these things. The important thing is that both companies, both the Chinese company and EVS, are licensed by FIFA. It does not mean that they do not have permission.

Ambassador Arjan: The fact that FIFA does not go into details is another matter. For example, if a report goes to FIFA now or the clubs want to announce it, would that be considered a violation or just a breach of protocol?

It's a matter of not following protocol and we decide what is appropriate. Both companies are licensed and there is no problem using their devices. However, the disadvantage of this situation is that our offside detection is not accurate and is done visually.

Ambassador Arjan: In this situation, is it possible that the points that the referee must observe in one match, will be implemented in a different way in another match?

Yes; Because the ability of judges is different and the quality of filming and competitions are not the same. As a result, taste is used and people's taste is more dominant. You see, even in the stage we had before when the line was drawn, FIFA announced that because humans play a role in this process and must recognize the time of the kick and the time of the line, it turned this system into a semi-automatic mode. We are now one step behind from the stage where man could make mistakes.

Ambassador Arjan: It means that not only have we not moved forward, but we have also gone completely backwards!

Yes, we are one step behind and we can't even draw a line. Therefore, the percentage of error becomes very high and everything becomes visual. Everyone judges according to their interest in a team. They say the same about the fans of the teams; Because the human heart sees first and then the brain. Sometimes a person says "this is not offside" and sometimes he says "it is offside". Because there is no line drawn, there is no standard, and everyone can express their own opinion.

Ambassador Arjan: Was it like this when you were judging yourself? Did your heart decide first or not?

One hundred percent! I mean, the human heart has an effect, but I didn't favor any team willy-nilly. This was the issue for me.

When a person works in a group and works hard for 20 years, during those 20 years he tries to accumulate credit for himself. In my opinion, that credibility is more important than anything else. Personal interest comes after credit.

Ambassador Arjan: However, do you believe that some referees may have a heart for a team?

I believe that the Football Federation has kept some referees for itself in order to use them in case of emergency. In some competitions, it seems that the federation orders the use of certain referees and they judge in the way that the federation wants. I have this impression. Of course, I am not sure about this issue, but there is no such thing as the referee always blowing the whistle in favor of Persepolis or always in favor of Esteghlal. However, there are referees who help the federation on critical days.

Ambassador Arjan: What does this help mean? Do you have a document or evidence for that?

The reality is that in critical matches, the teams that are supposed to win usually win. Of course, this cannot be considered a documented fact; It is more of a feeling.

Ambassador Arjan: I know that this feeling must come from somewhere. Has something special happened in the field of refereeing in those matches?

For example, do you remember the match between Persepolis and Esteghlal in Ahvaz? I think the referee delayed the final for three hours. Yes, the audience was supposed to be split 50-50, but it ended up being 90-to-1 or 99-to-1. They said they don't play and forced them to play. In the end, they lost.

Or consider the finals of Esteghlal and Melvan Cup. Which team would the federation like to win? independence Which team would the federation like to win in the match between Persepolis and Damash? Persepolis On critical days, the teams that the federation wanted to win have won.

Ambassador Arjan: This interest finally has a reason. From what point of view do you look at this issue? Is it from the point of view of making a wider range of society happy or are there other reasons? For example, the sailor club may have problems with the issue of professional license, but Esteghlal is easier to get a license; Or if Damash has a problem, Persepolis can get a professional license more easily. From what point of view do you look at this issue?

From all perspectives! This is a collection. The federation thinks to itself that if Persepolis wins, it has 40 million fans, it has a professional license, it has a stadium and it is in its favor in every way. In fact, a whole package of benefits is involved. But if the smaller teams win, there will be more pressure on the federation and the issues you mentioned.

A few days ago, we were watching the old interview of Mr. Kafashian. That tractor and oil competition was in Tabriz and Mr. Kafashian was present. Mr. Taj was also present in Sepahan and Naft game in Tehran.

Ambassador Arjan: I think that was the year when Tractor became the runner-up. I think they held the games at the same time; Because Tractor and Naft played in Tabriz and Sepahan and Saipa also played in Tehran.

I am not sure about the exact location of Sepahan and Saipa match and I may be wrong. This is not so important; The important thing is the sentence that Mr. Kafashian said: "Mr. Taj called me and said to tell the referee to have the air of the tractor; "Tractor becomes the champion, we are much easier." Ironically, the referee of that match was Alireza Faghani. Maybe this advice influenced his mind and he judged in such a way that the tractor did not win and Sepahan became the champion.

Ambassador Arjan: Was this mentioned in Mr. Kafashian's interview?

Yes, it was mentioned in Mr. Kafashian's interview and I will definitely send it to you to include in this interview. They said that Mr. Taj called me and told the referee not to mess with the tractor and to be careful.

Ambassador Arjan: This story you say was Mr. Faghani. That is, because he was advised, he acted in such a way that the result happened?

In my opinion, humans are subject to their own emotions. When you give advice to someone, they may hesitate; Another person may take the same advice and do what you asked them to do. In my opinion, Mr. Faghani's mood was not in a way that is recommendable and that happened. Maybe if he had not been given such advice, that match would have ended better.